


To Ascend and Enter the Unknown

by ardentaislinn



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Season/Series 03, Trip Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:25:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5033653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jemma has to go back. She'd promised an old friend she'd come back for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Ascend and Enter the Unknown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fitzsimmonsy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fitzsimmonsy/gifts).



> Happy birthday, darling! I hope this fic fulfills the hopes you had for it when you gave me the prompt. You are a wonderful person and deserve equally wonderful things!

When the memories from her time on the planet crept through the mental walls she’d built, oozing with fear and horror, Jemma would do her best to ignore them. She’d squeeze her eyes shut and recite chemical equations in her mind, or take up a small mundane task to repeat again and again and again until the memories would sink back into that dark corner of her mind and lie in wait until the next time. 

In blocking out the bad memories, she inevitably also buried the good. Not that there was much worth holding onto from that time - but there was enough. Enough moments of triumph and relief. Enough smiles. 

Enough that she needed to go back. 

The others didn’t understand; she could see it seared across their faces as they looked at her. Bobbi had gathered Fitz and Skye - Daisy - to help. But unless they were going to help figure out a way to open the portal, she wasn’t interested. 

“I’m going back with or without your help,” she told them defiantly, tension creeping into her jaw and shoulders. 

Fitz was the first one to step forward, his arms reaching for her but not quite touching. “Just tell us why you want to go. Help us understand.” His voice was coaxing, pleading, and Jemma couldn’t resist him. She’d avoided telling them when the conversation first started - she knew what they’d say, after all. 

But she knew them, knew their tenacity. And as long as she chose her words carefully, they would surely understand. 

“That planet was...beyond horror. You can’t imagine the daily fear, the endless running and hiding, and the loneliness so stark and painful that it hurt.” Her hands found the table behind her and she clutched at the edges as the memories bombarded her. 

The others had the good sense not to crowd her, though she suspected they wanted to offer her comfort. She glanced up at her friends’ stricken faces and her chest tightened. She didn’t mean to upset them. 

“I don’t tell you this to make you feel pity for me, just so that you understand. When I found him - or, more specifically, he found me - it changed everything. I would have gone mad long ago if he hadn’t been by my side. And I believe it was the same for him. We saved each other’s lives many time and I-” Her breath choked in her throat and the air squeezed out painfully from her lungs. “I need to go back.” 

The expression on Fitz’s face arrested her. Agony and empathy warred on his features. 

“Who was he?” Fitz asked, his voice gruff and pained. 

She glanced at each of them, confused. Had she not already said? “Trip,” she told them, as if it was obvious. “Trip is still there, and I need to bring him home.” 

At that, they all changed. Bobbi sagged against the lab table, as if her knee had given out and she could no longer hold herself up. Her expression was a mask of shocked disbelief. 

Daisy curled in on herself, her arms hugging across her chest, her confusion clear. “ _What?_ ” she asked after a moment, as if her brain lagged a few seconds behind reality. 

Fitz, on the other hand, just stared at her, pity and understanding clear on his face. 

“Jemma…” he said carefully, stepping towards her with his arms outstretched. 

Anger burst up through her, seizing her limbs. “You don’t believe me,” she ground out, feeling utterly betrayed. She’d finally managed to tell them a bit of what happened to her over there and the reaction was... _disbelief_? 

“You went through a lot,” he stated, his voice measured. “It’s no surprise that you would cope in any way you can, or that your mind would play tricks on you.” 

“You think I’m insane?” 

“No.” The word was emphatic. “I think you held on to your sanity in whatever way you could.” 

“How dare you?” she hissed. “You think that I would just imagine someone there? Make up everything we went through there? Just... _fantasize_ the times he saved my life?” 

Fitz grew very still and very quiet. “I did,” he whispered. 

Jemma set aside her anger for a brief moment. “What?” 

“While you were in Hydra. I imagined someone there beside me, someone I loved and trusted, to help me through it. It was so real, I could have almost sworn she was really there.” 

Jemma narrowed her eyes, stomach tumbling with suspicion. “Who did you see?” 

“You, of course.” He shrugged simply, a slight smile on his face. 

Warmth and guilt crept upon her in equal measure and she shoved the feelings aside, focusing on the moment. “You said almost. So you knew that she - I - was not real.” 

“Yes,” he agreed, and she could see as understanding clicked. 

“Then please do me the service of believing me when I tell you that he was there, he was real, and he needs our help.” 

He stared at her a long moment, searching her face. “Alright,” he said eventually. 

“Thank you,” she told him sincerely. Then she turned to Bobbi and Daisy, noting that they seemed to have recovered. “If you don’t wish to help me, I’ll understand. But if that’s the case, then please get out of my way, because I have a lot of work to do and not much time to do it.” 

“Of course we’ll help,” Bobbi told her. 

“If there is any hope of getting Trip back, then I’m in,” Daisy confirmed. 

Jemma slid her eyes over to Fitz, awaiting his response. “I don’t want you to go back there.” He paused, breathing deep. He offered a wry smile. “But I know you’ll do what you want regardless of what I say. Since I don’t want to let you out of my sight again, I’ll support you. Every step of the way.” 

\--- 

“I did manage to do some research on the portal before the running for my life took precedence,” Jemma told them. “The other door of the portal is a fixed point. No matter where you move the rock on this side, it stays the same on the other side. I suspect this means that although the obelisk is destroyed, that doorway will still be there, just inert.” 

“Why do you say that?” asked Daisy, focusing hard. They were all huddled around the remains of the obelisk. 

“If the portal was one object, rather than two objects with a link between them, then their equivalents on each planet would likely move together in tandem.” 

Bobbi nodded. “That makes sense. So how do we use that to our advantage?” 

“Well, if the doorway and pathway between is still there, it just means that we have to reestablish the link from this side by opening the doorway. Like, it’s a tunnel with doors on either end. The tunnel is still there, as is the far side door. We just need to figure out how to open the one right in front of us.” 

They all stared down at the pile of space rock, as if expecting it to give up its secrets. 

“I can’t believe the connection has been completely severed between these rocks and the door on the other side. It’s just its ability to translate that into a portal - open the door, if you will - that is damaged.” 

“What if…” Bobbi began. “What if we use this as the navigation, but we get something or someone else to open the portal. Between the two combined, hopefully the portal would open in the right place.” 

Jemma felt excited for all of a moment before realisation struck. “Who do we know that can open portals? Particularly inter-planetary ones. Or even inter-dimensional. I can’t be sure that I was in this universe, despite the similarities.” 

“Heimdall,” said Bobbi. 

“That Gordon guy could,” added Fitz. “Sort of.” 

“Oh, Fitz, yes,” Daisy interrupted, her eyes bright with anticipation. “An Inhuman could do it. There was one we heard of a while back. Some weird stuff was happening on his reservation; holes in the universe opening up and strange creatures coming out. He fled before we could get there, and we lost track of him. His name was, ah, Little...Little Sky! Charles Little Sky.” 

“How will he be able to help if we don’t even know where he is?” Fitz asked, sounding annoyed. Jemma put a calming hand on his arm. 

“It’s a good place to start,” Jemma said. 

“Last we heard, he was in New York,” Daisy told him, unperturbed. “I’ll put out some feelers to the underground contacts I have there. If this guy is trying to stay off the grid, chances are he either went to them for help, or they know about him anyway.” 

At their nods, Daisy left the room with purpose in her step. 

Jemma looked between Fitz and Bobbi. “You two spent most of the last six months studying this thing. Is there anything I should know?” 

They gave each other a look of shared understanding, and Jemma had to wonder how much they had shared in her absence. 

“It’s unpredictable and volatile,” Bobbi told her. “But I’m guessing you already knew that.” 

“I couldn’t find a way to get the portal open, so I have no idea what the active ingredient is that gives it that ability. When we did get it open, the portal was very unstable.” His face settled into that abstracted look he got when he was focusing on a new problem. “I’m going to try to work on that. Figure out if there is a way I can keep the portal open longer. No telling what this Little Sky can and can’t do. If he’s a new Inhuman, chances are he can’t control his powers particularly well.” 

He wandered away from the table and began picking up random bits of device. No doubt he would have built a prototype by day’s end. 

Jemma turned to Bobbi. “I don’t think I’ve said thank you.” 

“For what?” 

“For looking after him - and the lab - while I was gone. It means a lot.” 

Bobbi’s lips quirked, her eyes warm with affection. “I’d say ‘any time’, but I don’t want you going off on another adventure like that anytime soon.” 

Jemma chuckled softly. “I have no plans to, I promise.” 

“Good,” she replied firmly. 

Jemma looked down at the table, running her fingers through the gritty dust that had once been the obelisk. 

“So, do you think this plan will work?” she asked somberly 

Bobbi’s clothing rustled as she shrugged. “It’s as good as any and better than many of the ones I’ve enacted. I think it’s got a shot.” 

Jemma nodded, grateful for the honesty. 

“Trip deserves better, you know? Than to be trapped there alone.” 

“Yeah, he really does.” 

\--- 

A day later, Jemma was starting to get more anxious than was now normal for her. She knew what a difference a day could make to someone trapped over there. Hell, a few minutes could change everything. 

Jemma was trying to focus on learning something new about the space dust that Fitz and Bobbi hadn’t found in the last few months when Daisy burst into the room. Jemma jumped about a foot in the air in reaction, her heart pounding like a jackhammer. 

Daisy immediately made a face of regret. “I’m so sorry.” 

Jemma tried to smile, but was sure she just looked weary. “It’s alright. What got you so excited?” 

She was glad that Daisy took the offered change in subject. “We found him! He was working construction for under-the-table pay. Better yet, he was willing to come in. Well, not at first, but he’s desperate for some answers. Once he saw all our cool toys, I guess he figured we could provide them.” 

“He’s here?” Jemma asked sharply. 

“Yeah, he’s in the box.” 

Jemma immediately strode out of the room. She could hear footsteps behind her, but didn’t turn to see who it was. 

Urgency thrummed through her. They were close now. She could taste it. 

“You can open portals?” she asked before even fully entering the room that held Charles Little Sky. He stared at her through the glass of his pod, a frown furrowing his brow. He wasn’t terribly tall - maybe slightly taller than Fitz. His hair was jet black, and the harsh lines of his face made him starkly handsome. 

“Hello to you, too,” he said with a raised brow. 

Jemma sucked in a steadying breath. “I apologise. I just can’t shake the feeling that the time to save my friend is running short.” 

The man studied her for a long moment, then gave a ‘what the hell’ shrug. “I’m told that the thing I do involves opening portals. I’m not sure how much help I’ll be. I can’t control it particularly well.” 

“I might be able to help with that,” Fitz announced, striding into the room. All eyes turned to look at him. His, in turn, immediately sought out Jemma and softened perceptibly. He offered her a small smile before turning to their new guest. 

“Daisy was recently in a similar position to what you are now.” He gestured over to her without looking, and Jemma saw that he was holding gauntlets similar to those they had made Daisy what felt like a lifetime ago. “I modified the design of these a little to fit you and suit your powers. Or what I imagine your powers are. They have an inbuilt directional mechanism that should help you to focus the power.” 

“Man, that’s so cool.” 

“Can we let him out? He’ll need to try them on so I can make some adjustments before we try this.” 

Jemma sighed in relief. It was going to be alright. They could do this. 

\--- 

Hours later, they were all gathered again in the lab, but this time an air of anticipation pervaded the room. 

Jemma was ladened down by a backpack positively bursting with anything she could possibly need if she ended up trapped on that planet again. She was taking precautions this time. In one hand she held a flare gun with multiple shots that Fitz had designed back in the academy. She holstered it, afraid that she’d squeeze it due to uncontrollable nerves and accidentally let off a flare. 

Now that the time was close, she wasn’t sure she really could go back to that place. The memories were bubbling to the surface, tempting her into the darkness. Anxiety closed her throat, and dampened her neck with cold sweat. Surely Trip would understand. He more than anyone knew what that place was like. And she knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t wish it on anyone. 

But she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t leave him behind. They’d vowed to save each other if they could, so Jemma had to at least try. She’d never live with herself if she didn’t. 

Charles stood by the table, moving the remains of the obelisk around with a thoughtful look on his face. The gauntlets on his arms restricted the dexterity of his fingers a little, but he seemed unperturbed. Every now and again he would glance up from his task and send his eyes around the lab, assessing it. Jemma wondered what was going through his mind. 

“You’ve got some fancy looking stuff in here,” he murmured. 

Jemma smiled tightly. “State of the art!” 

He nodded and turned his attention back to the rocks. “I think I might have it.” 

Heads raised and all eyes shifted in his direction. 

“I feel...something. I don’t know if it is the rocks, or you, since you’ve been there” he said, indicating to Jemma. “Or even the guy on the other side. It could be a combination of all three, for all I know how these powers work. But I can sense a...path of some kind.” 

A breathless silence settled over the room, tense with expectation. Charles took a few steps back and raised his hand. 

Jemma bounced on her toes, desperately trying to psych herself up. She didn’t want this. She would give anything not to have to go back there. The crushing fear and loneliness was already sinking into her bones, dragging on her. 

She felt one hand slip into hers and glanced up to find Fitz beside her. Daisy came up on the other side, gripping her hand tight. Jemma allowed herself a moment to draw comfort from them, then spoke. 

“You guys better step back now. You wouldn’t want to accidentally get sucked in with me.” 

“You’re kidding, right?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” 

Jemma glanced between them, confused. “What?” 

“We’re coming with you,” said Fitz, as if it were obvious. 

“We wouldn’t make you do it yourself,” Daisy added. 

“And I’m never letting you out of my sight again, remember?” Fitz finished. He adjusted the clasp on his harness, then tested Jemma. Bobbi gave a thumbs up from her position by the winch. 

Tears welled in Jemma’s eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She’d never been so grateful to have people by her side. 

Wind whipped at them, slapping her hair across her face and plastering her clothes against her. Jemma squeezed tighter at the two hands holding hers. A small black mass formed, growing by the second. She let go of Daisy’s hand to unholster the flare gun and shot it through the yawning black hole in front of them. It was almost immediately swallowed by the darkness. 

She took a step, then another, fear clutching at her, trying to stop her progress. She concentrated on Fitz and Daisy beside her, anchoring her. 

The wind reached a fever pitch when she was inches from the portal, buffeting the three of them with the force of a gale. Jemma glanced up in time to see Charles give her a brief wink, and then she was falling, falling, falling through the blackness. 

She hit the ground with a hard thump. She raised her face enough so that she wasn’t breathing in dirt and took large gulps of air to overcome the winded feeling in her chest. She could hear Fitz and Daisy groaning and moving beside her, and relaxed slightly. 

Jemma slowly raised herself onto her knees and was immediately struck by the eerie quiet. There was no wind, no howling wolves, just endless empty desert. 

That was not a good sign. 

Urgency struck her, and Jemma unholstered the flare gun once again and shot it straight into the air. The portal still swirled behind them, a slight whistle emanating from it like wind through a tunnel. 

“Should we call out?” Fitz whispered. 

“I’m loathe to draw attention to ourselves, but I think it would be best if we left immediately. The silence like this was always a precursor to something very, very bad.” 

They all stood, brushing themselves down and began moving cautiously around the clearing. Thankfully, rocky protrusions obscured their movements somewhat from the greater plane beyond. Or, more specifically, what was lurking there. 

Jemma shot another flare as the other two began calling Trip’s name. Her fear of loud noise in this place was too ingrained. Her voice was little more than a croak. 

Just when Jemma thought that she’d have to go exploring all their known hiding spots, the baying of the hounds sounded in the distance. She rushed forward, trying to get a better view, but it was too far. As she fumbled with her backpack, pulling out binoculars, one thought kept circling her mind. _They only howled when they were on the scent_. 

She peered into the lenses, trying to find the hunting party. The muted light of the planet did her eyesight no favours. 

“Is it him?” asked Daisy, hope vibrating in her voice. 

“I can’t tell yet, but I think so. Someone is running from them, at least.” Dread pooled in her gut, visceral and raw. She’d been there, in the same position of that poor soul, and barely survived. She’d never forget what that was like. Her adrenaline spiked in sympathy just from the memories. 

She raised the binoculars again, this time catching sight of Trip. It really was him. Relief thundered through her that she wasn’t too late. She’d got here in time. 

Except maybe not, if they didn’t hurry. The demonic hounds were gaining on him. He was limping, his clothes more torn and bloody than when she had last seen him. 

Jemma took off at a run before thinking it through. The line still attached to her harness snapped taut, tugging her backwards. She fumbled with the clasp, fingers clumsy in her desperation. She didn’t know what she’d do when she got there, only that she had to do _something_. 

A deep rumble sounded through the mountains, shaking her very bones. Jemma glanced right to see Daisy standing on a rocky outcropping, her hands raised and a look of intense concentration on her face. 

Jemma froze, mesmerised, as tremors ran through the earth toward Trip and his pursuers. 

The cracks in the ground skirted Trip with an elegant swoop and then detonated behind him, cracking the earth open and shooting rocks into the sky. 

Trip slowed as he realised that his pursuers were either blocked or dead, his eyes seeking out their position on the mountain. Jemma waved, and the others followed suit, urging him back to them. 

When he was close, they scrambled down the steep hill to meet him. They helped him up the last few feet until they reached the clearing. There, he sank to his knees, panting. 

They all stood, waiting, trying not to crowd him. After a long moment, he seemed to get himself under control. The first thing he did was turn to Daisy. 

“Girl, _what_ was that? Jemma told me you’d got yourself some powers, but that was intense!” 

Daisy laughed and threw her arms around him, dust kicking up around them as he knees fell in the dirt beside him. 

“It’s good to see you again,” she whispered against his neck, her eyes squeezed shut. 

Jemma turned away, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment. Her eyes caught Fitz’s and they shared a triumphant smile. 

After a moment, Trip staggered to his feet and swept Jemma up into a bone-aching hug. She clenched her arms around him just as fiercely. 

“Thank you. I’m mad at you for coming back, but thank you,” he murmured in her ear. Tears sprang to Jemma’s eyes and she nodded in reply. 

They slowly parted, their shared history settling between them, cementing their bond. 

“We better get going,” Jemma said, glancing at the moon. They all gathered themselves without comment and stepped through the portal. 

\--- 

The reunion was as joyous as was to be expected. Though Coulson was furious about what they’d all done under his nose, he couldn’t stay angry for a second once he caught sight of Trip. 

Trip, for his part, was immediately chivvied off to the medical bay, Daisy beside him with her hand in his. He caught Jemma’s eyes before stepping through the door. A look of understanding passed between them. 

Fitz leaned down to Jemma. “You were very brave today,” he whispered. 

“Thank you for coming with me,” she replied. She glanced up at him, eyes filled with warmth. 

“Like I said, I’m not going to let you go again.” 

“Good,” was all she said. But it was enough. 


End file.
